Brake-lever for road-vehicles.



No. 665,503.- Patented Jan. 8, I90I.

E. A. BROOKE.

BRAKE LEVER FOR ROAD VEH'IGLES.

(Application filed Oct. 10, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

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6 1% /QQ%M Units rates EDGAR A. BROOKE, OF DILLON, MONTANA.

BRAKE-LEVER FOR ROAD-VEHiCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,503, dated January 8, 1901.

Application filed October 10, 1900. Serial No. 32,584. tNo modelfl To all whont it may concern;

Be it known that I, EDGAR A. BROOKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dillon, in the county of Beaver Head and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Levers for Road- Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to improvements in brake-levers for road-vehicles of that kind or style secured to and located in the vehicle body or box in position to be readily and conveniently manipulated and operated by the driver or occupant from the seat of the vehicle.

It is the object of the invention to provide a brake-lever mechanism which is of simplified construction, efficient in operation, and durable in use, and which when not in use may be turned down out of the way and held locked with the brake-shoes free from the wheels. I

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel construction of parts and their combination, as will be hereinafter fully described,and the novelty thereof particularly pointed out in the claims.

I have fully and clearly illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part hereof, and wherein- Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the device as mounted on'the floor or bottom of the vehicle, showing the upper hinged or jointed arm of the brake-lever as being turned down and held in horizontal position by the spring-actuated catch. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing the upper portion or arm of the lever as having been released from the catch and thrown into vertical position by the force of the underlying spring, in which position the lever is ready for applying the brakes. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device with the lever and catch in engagement.

Referring to the drawings by letters and numerals and designating similar parts or elements in all the illustrations by like references, A designates the bottom or floor of the body of a road-vehicle, which may be of any of the approved constructions in that line. To the floor of the vehicle body at a point or location which will afford convenience in manipulation of the device is secured a plate 1, constituting the base or foundation for the catch and springs. This base-piece may consist of malleable or cast metal and made of such dimensions as will adapt it to the purposes and uses intended. As illustrated, it consists of a flat piece of the selected material formed at its rear end with a vertical heelpiece 2, upon which the foot of the operator may rest, and at the front end portion is formed with vertical bearing-pieces 3 4, 0ppositely disposed and provided with pintle or pin holes registering with each other, and wherein'is fitted and secured a pintle or bearing-pin 5, on which is pivotally mounted or fulcrumed a catch B, formed with a forwardlyprojecting lip 6, which engages with the crosspiece of the upper arm of the lever to hold it down in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The catch B is extended upward and rearward from the lip, as at 6, and from thence is extended vertically, as at 7, to constitute a foot-piece, which, being pressed upon by the foot of the occupant, the catch is lifted from the end of the lever and permits that element to be thrown upby the force of the spring under it. At the rear of the catch on the base-piece is arranged and secured a fiat spring 8, the fixed portion of which, at its rearend, is secured to the bodyplate of the device by a bolt or rivet 9, extending-through the plate and floor of the vehicle, and at its front is held firmly by a clip 10, which clip also serves the purpose of holding the device firmly and rigidly to the bottom of the vehicle, as indicated in the drawings. From adjacent to the front of the clip 10 or other stay or fastening the spring 8 is curved upward and rearward and bears with its face end portion under the curved end of the catch, serving to press the catch forward, so that its lip is caused to engage over and bear upon the cross piece or bar on the pivotal bar of the brake-lever.

In suitable bearings 11, secured to the floor of the vehicle, is fulcrumeda lever 12, the lower end of which has pivotal connection with one end of the brake-rod 13, which is suitably connected to the brake mechanism by any proper means or appliances. The brake mechanism is not illustrated, because that may be of any well-known construction and style, my invention being applicable to any of the Well-known brakes in use. The upper portion of the lever 12 projects through a slot in the floor of the vehicle and extends upward a proper distance and has pivotally connected to its upper end the brake-lever O. The lever 0 consists of a substantial bar of such length as may be required and to the upper end of which is rigidly fixed a cross head or bar 14, which when the lever O is turned down engages under the lip of the catch. The lower end of the lever 0 extends below its pivotal or fulcrum point and is formed with a lateral flange or strong lug 15, extending a proper distance to the side to engage over and lodge againstthe front edge or face of the lever 12, and thus prevent and stay the lever C from being thrown forward too far and so that when turned to perpendicular position, or substantially so, the lever 2 and lever C will operate in unison or in conjunction as a single element and by a forward movement effect the application of the brakes.

'1o throw the lever C forward into upright position and aid in keeping it in engagement under the lip of the catch, a spring 16 is provided, having its rear end suitably secured in or under the base and its projecting portion directed upward and bearing against the under face of the pivoted lever C. As illustrated in the drawings, the spring 16 is held in position at the rear by being disposed in grooves formed in the inner side faces of the bearing-standards of the catch, as indicated in the drawings.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the lever C is held locked by the catch and the brakes thus held, through the connections therewith, free from engagement with the wheels. When it becomes necessary to apply and use the brakes, the requisite force is applied to the extension or dog of the catch to lift the lip from the end-of the lever C, which being accomplished the force of the spring 16 throws the lever G into vertical position, and then by hand or foot force the leceases ver can be pushed forward, carrying with it the lever 12 and, through the connections of the latter to the brakes, applying the brakeshoes to the wheels.

When the exigency of braking has passed, the lever C is turned down and the free end pressed under the lip of the catch, the movement actuating the release of the brakes.

What I claim isl. A brake-lever for brake mechanism of road-vehicles,con1prisin g a base piece or block secured to the floor of the body of the vehicle, a spring-actuated catch pivotally mounted in the base-piece, a brake-lever fulcru med to the door of the vehicle and having its lower end connected to a brake-rod, a lever pivotally secured to the upper portion of the brake-lever and formed with a stop at its lower portion below its pivotal support to engage the brake-lever and a cross-piece on its free end to engage the catch, and a spring to throw the pivotal lever into upright position, substantially as described.

2. A brake-lever for brake mechanism of a road-vehicle, com prising a base piece or block secured on the floor of the vehicle-body and formed with a heel-piece at its rear end and bearings at its front end, a catch pivotally mounted in the bearings of the base-piece and formed with a foiwvardly-directed lip and a rearward-extended and vertical footpiece, a spring to throw the catch forward, a brakelever fulcrumed to the floorof the vehicle and connected at its lower end to the brakes, a lever C pivotally connected to the upper end of the brake-lever and formed with a laterally-extended stop to engage the front face of the brake-lever, and adapted to turn down to horizontal position and having a crosspicce on its free end to engage under the lip of the catch, and a spring under the turneddown lever to throw the same into vertical position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR A. BROOKE.

Witnesses:

J. D. JAMES, J. B. LOGAN. 

